Surviving the Civil War

January 04, 2013|By Mark St. John Erickson, merickson@dailypress.com | 757-247-4783

Fugitive slaves. Prisoners of war. Women and children grappling with martial law. Put their stories together and you quickly discover that — for millions of Americans during the Civil War — even life far from the battlefield could be a struggle. That's the lesson learned in "Surviving War," a revealing collection of interactive exhibits and rare period artifacts that runs through April 28 at the Hampton History Museum. Drawn from the Virginia Historical Society's "An American Turning Point: The Civil War in Virginia," the show includes such provocative objects as a window from Richmond's infamous Libby Prison and a period painting of a Virginia slave auction. And don't miss the interactive display exploring the daunting world faced by any slave who ran away. 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton. $5 adults, $4 children 4-12. 757-727-1610;www.hamptonhistorymuseum.org